The Nightmare begins 20
by Sister Verna
Summary: This is my first Merlin fanfiction. It's centered around the 3rd episode of the second season and it's more Uther/Morgana povs. Thanks a lot to Christina B for betting my story.


The nightmare begins 2.0

Surprisingly, the mighty Uther, is afraid of some pouring rain?! He, who led an army, who fought without fear or reproach during all those battles and finally he, who decided to face the witchcraft in Camelot – he felt uneasy when it rained outside?!

Unbelievable.

If Gaius or someone else asked him why, he wouldn't be able to answer the question. Because no one would dare to call him coward. And if someone risked doing it, Uther wouldn't hesitate to pierce the insolent fellow through.

But he didn't understand this uneasy, scary feeling in his gut! Why?

Uther was lying in bed, but he kept tossing and turning, hoping this feeling of coming misfortune would disappear.

But it didn't.

Lightning struck and it seemed like if the whole castle trembled.

The King got up, slipped the cloak on and went to the window.

Because of the rain it was practically impossible to see anything, but his eyes caught some flash of the light in his ward's bedchamber.

_Morgana_, was his first thought and now the meaning of this distressing feeling was clear.

Morgana was in danger.

* * *

She couldn't sleep, and the moment she closed her eyes, glimpses of something she couldn't fully understand passed before her. Morgana could feel as though some power was arising in her. She felt like she could do anything.

The same moment the lightning struck she woke up breathing heavily.

Morgana fixed her eyes at the candle that's light was becoming more and more intense, so much that the curtain blazed up.

Morgana screamed.

* * *

Uther felt relieved as he saw Morgana unharmed. Unharmed on the outside, but she was too frightened after the events of last night.

Guinevere as always was near her, soothing her.

Was he jealous? Yes he was. He wanted to embrace her and to show his feelings, but he dare not.

"My lady, let me accompany you to Gaius," Gwen said.

Morgana nodded and allowed herself to be taken away.

Arthur approached to his father.

"I do trust Gwen, if she says that she had blown the candle out, then it is true," Arthur said.

Uther didn't make any sign that he acknowledged what Arthur said.

All his attention was turned to the broken window. Arthur saw his father's interest and pronounced:

"The lightning struck the castle's roof last night. It could break the window and start a fire."

"Perhaps," Uther mumbled.

As much as he wanted to believe it, he knew there was something more in it. Something far more dangerous than the lightning. And it was – witchcraft.

"Someone started the fire" Uther said it without appeal.

Arthur followed his King, as he left Morgana's chamber.

"How is it even possible to break into her bedchamber?!" Arthur was surprised at such assumption.

"They used magic," Uther explained.

Sometimes he was irritated by the stubbornness of his son not to see the danger that comes with magic.

"But…," Arthur wanted to protest, Uther didn't give him the chance to finish the phrase.

"Arrest everyone whom we have under suspicion."

"Yes, Father," Arthur knew too well that if his father was in such a mood, it would be better not to misjudge his decisions "but it's going to take some time."

Uther turned around sharply and said, "My ward has been attacked – time is something we might not have!"

_My ward_, Uther thought, _my life, my love has been attacked._

Even the thought that something he couldn't protect her from could hurt Morgana was unbearable.

* * *

"Are you sure, my Lady, that you don't need me?" Guinevere asked.

"Yes, Gwen," Morgana answered a little bit nervous, "I'm going to be ok since I'm in good hands," and she entered into Gaius' house.

Gaius was somewhat surprised to see Morgana at such an hour. He put away the flasks and asked her to sit down for he was afraid she could pass out. Many worries passed through his mind, and each thought was worse than the one before.

"My Lady, did something happen to the King or…," he didn't finish the question, since Morgana burst into tears unable to hold them back any longer.

"It was just an accident, my child," Gaius said.

Morgana didn't tell him anything, she just agreed to drink another potion.

Gaius could say it was an accident or a silly coincidence a million times, but she knew too well that it was magic. And the magic came from her. She, Morgana, the King's ward and no one else made that candle blaze up.

As she returned to the castle there were many more guards, especially near her bedchamber.

Morgana smiled bitterly.

_He tries to protect me from the danger, but he doesn't know that this danger comes from me, and that I'm the danger_, Morgana thought.

And suddenly she realized.

_What will Uther do when he knows that I'm a witch. Will he kill me, banish me, or will he finally accept magic._

She was afraid that it might be true and she was afraid of the consequences: death? banishment?

She didn't want to think about it right now. After many sleepless nights and the recent events she was exhausted. She really would like to believe that Gaius was right and it was just an accident.

During the next few days she tried to avoid Uther. It wounded her to do so, but Morgana was afraid of the possible outcomes that would occur if the King found out. He might react badly to find that she was one of those who brought misfortune to his kingdom.

Partially because of it she accepted Merlin's proposition to seek out the Druids. She cherished the hope that they would be able to help her, if not to use her power rightly, and then at least she wouldn't be able to hurt anyone, especially Uther.

* * *

He should have known that it could happen.

Uther didn't doubt for a second that Morgana was kidnapped. Whoever did this they wanted to use her as a bait.

As the last resort, he decided to frighten her kidnappers. Uther feared they might as well hurt Morgana, but then he rejected such gloomy thoughts.

He was out of his mind not knowing where Morgana was, or if she was alright.

As much as he wanted to go looking for her himself, he couldn't. Something kept him from making such a rash decision.

_She avoided me before the disappearance_, Uther thought stepping out the corridor, _perhaps I was too foolish to hope she could ever fall in love with me?...What if she fell in love with someone else. She got scared, knowing my temper and so they decided to run away…_

Uther knocked the armour down in a blaze of anger.

"My Lord," he heard the voice of Gaius behind him.

Uther turned around to face an old friend.

"Are you sure that she was kidnapped?" Gaius asked.

Uther's heart wrenched. No. He couldn't bear the thought of her not loving him. Yes, he was certain, he wanted to be certain that she was kidnapped.

"Yes, I'm sure. You have seen the trail yourself, Gaius. They lead to the Druids."

"Did you hear anything from Arthur?" he asked after a pause.

"But he left not long ago. He will return, my lord, with her or…,"

"If I loose Morgana – a huge part of me will die," Uther pronounced through clenched teeth.

He hated himself for such having thoughts and he definitely wouldn't allow anyone else to even allow the thought of Morgana not coming to Camelot alive.

* * *

Half way in the forest, Morgana felt sorry about her sudden decision to look for the druids. Now that she was alone in the forest, somewhere in the shadow of the trees lurked something she couldn't see. It was getting dark, and it was cold and scary.

Maybe Uther wouldn't be mad at her for what she wasn't responsible. Perhaps Gaius could make some potion, so she would lose her power.

But there was no going back. She now had to find druids before those creatures that she heard, but couldn't see got her.

The deeper she got in the woods, the more clearly and distinct Morgana could hear this strange, indescribable noise. It seemed it was coming from everywhere. And so it was. At first one giant scorpion appeared in the clearing, and then another one. She was so frightened it seemed to her that the next one was bigger than the previous one.

They were getting closer. As the last resort she tried to run, but as she turned her back to one of them, it assaulted her by stinging her leg.

She fell and prepared to die. But before her blurry vision a man in a cloak appeared. She thought it was one of her hallucination or maybe it was Uther. He knew where she was and came to help her.

_My love_…, was her last thought before King's ward fell down in a faint.

Suddenly all rushed over her: glimpses of the past, pain, sounds, and child's laughter.

_I must have died_, Morgana thought.

To be sure, she opened her eyes. At first the bright sunlight blinded her, but when her eyes adjusted to it, she saw the blue sky, the trees and…

She half-rose sharply.

"Nobody won't hurt you, Morgana," the stranger said, smiling encouragingly to her.

She looked around obviously trying to recall how she happened to be here.

"You were attacked by the scorpions," Morgana looked at him and touched the bandage that was all around her leg. "It has bitten you," he said pointing to the red drop on the white tissue.

"But…," she didn't have chance to finish, as in the impromptu tent her old acquaintance appeared.

_Hello, Morgana_, Mordred said with his mind.

"You're…,"

"Yes, we're druids," the stranger confirmed her guess, "My name is Aglain and you already know our young friend – Mordred." Mordred smiled at her, and she reciprocated it.

At first she felt relieved that she managed to find the druids. Aglain thought she felt uneasy at first because of her guardian and his politics, with respect to them. But in truth, Morgana couldn't believe she betrayed the man she loved; and that now she was among his enemies. But then didn't she become one of them when she got the gift as Aglain called it?

For her it was not the gift, it was the curse that prevented her to be with the one she loved. Morgana now fully understood the danger of her power. Aglain told her that right now she couldn't control her abilities, and she could hurt anyone that would be around her: from Guinevere to Uther.

Unexpected the trail of her thoughts was interrupted by Merlin's sudden appearance.

"Merlin!? What are you doing here?" Morgana couldn't think of any reason why Arthur's servant would make such a long and dangerous journey.

"I've come after you. King thinks you've been kidnapped."

The lumpy throat didn't let her speak. It's all seemed like a nightmare.

As much as she couldn't bear the thought of so many people dying in her name, Morgana knew that the same faith awaited her if she came back to Camelot.

She shook her head.

"No. I can't."

She felt her eyes fill with tears.

Merlin wanted to persuade her to come back. But Morgana didn't give him a chance.

"I was right, Merlin. It really was magic and this magic comes from me. You know as good as I do what Uther will do when he gets to know that I can use magic!" she almost cried.

Yes, Merlin knew it too well. For the past year he learnt it very well. If you were blamed of use of magic you didn't have many options.

He couldn't tell her that she wouldn't be alone, that no one would know about her power. But he dare not.

At the same moment Aglain appeared in the tent.

"Who is this?" he said angrily.

"This is a friend," Morgana managed to say fighting back tears, "What's going on?" she asked as she heard some noise outside.

"Well, then YOUR friend brought Arthur and his men right to us!"

She couldn't believe it was all happening. Maybe it was one of her nightmares. She would wake up and everything would be as it was?...

But no, she heard dogs barking, men shouting, women screaming, and children crying. Morgana saw that Merlin followed them.

Her leg ached. She couldn't keep up at such a pace. Whatever Merlin did to hold back the soldiers wasn't working anymore.

The shouts were so close. She stumbled.

"Go on without me," Morgana said.

"No, we won't leave you behind," Aglain pronounced.

"They're coming!" Mordred shouted.

Morgana tried to get up, but she fell again. The shouts were much closer right now. Through the fog that appeared from nowhere, you could see the silhouette of the approaching archers.

"Don't waste your time! Go now!"

Aglain wanted to follow her advice as the arrow pierced his back.

The last thing Morgana saw before she passed out was Mordred running away.

_Please let him be safe_, she thought.

* * *

"Two days," Uther was saying to himself as he was pacing the throne room.

He didn't sleep for two days. For the moment he closed his eyes, he saw Morgana holding out her hands and begging him to save her. The King couldn't bear it.

It seemed to him that it wasn't just two days, that it was an eternity before he heard the light steps in the corridor. It was Gaius.

Uther's heart has missed a beat. On the face of physicians you can't ever read any emotions that would help you to understand whether he has brought good news or bad.

"What news you brought?" Uther asked thought his voice didn't sound as strong as he hoped.

Gaius sighed.

Uther's heart skipped another beat.

"The guards report, that Arthur's troops with him in the lead are coming back," Gaius finally said.

"And Morgana? Is she with them?"

"Yes, she with them, my Lord."

Uther took off like a shot from a gun. He felt much younger and forgot his position, Uther the King of Camelot was running down the stairs skipping two steps at a time.

He appeared at the entrance before Arthur and his men rode into the castle. His heart was pounding: Morgana was with him and at first look she wasn't harmed.

Uther collected himself. And this time more calmly and appropriate to the king, he approached his son.

* * *

Morgana raised her head and saw that they were already among the castle's walls. She saw Uther approaching them.

She was so happy to see him again, to see how relieve he was that she was ok. She was foolish to believe she could leave him.

He helped her to get off the horse. The moment Morgana touched the ground; it turned she was in Uther's arms. He was hugging her so intense, so eagerly.

Her eyes filled with tears, but she didn't want him to see them. She smiled bitterly as he stroked her hair. Because Morgana was really happy to see him again, to be in his arms.

And she almost believed that everything would be as it was and the nightmares that she lived out during the past days were over.

But it wasn't true, the nightmare has just begun


End file.
